The following background information may present examples of specific aspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts, or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon.
The present invention is directed to a portable barrier for a door sill that fills a gap between the flooring and the bottom of a respective door to inhibit passage of water, air, and pests through the gap and onto the flooring inside the respective building.
The inventor noticed that often, water, air, and pests would pass beneath the threshold of the door, even when the door was closed. The inventor realized that this was often an undesirable invitation to damage to the floor and interior of the building.
The inventor realized that with increasing heating costs, it was becoming more and more important to reduce as much as possible the infiltration of air through doors and windows. The inventor quickly saw that the major sources of air infiltration is through the bottom of the doors of dwellings. The inventor decided that the threshold should provide a good thermal barrier in order to prevent condensation and icing on the portion of the threshold within the building interior. Additionally, the inventor knew that flooding from outside the building would seep through the door, and thereby cause damage to the carpet and furniture inside. And finally, the inventor knew that ants, termites, cockroaches, and even small mice could squeeze between the door sill and the bottom of the door.
Through additional research, the inventor learned that since thresholds are installed in door openings, they are disposed in high pedestrian traffic area of the respective building and subjected to substantial stresses as people often step on the respective threshold. Often such pedestrian traffic can cause the cantilevered toe portion to bend downward, thereby deforming the respective door sill. Furthermore, although known thresholds generally prevent rain water from passing though the gap between the bottom of the door and the flooring onto the flooring inside the respective building, known door sills often allow rain water to flow under the threshold itself
The inventor decided that an additional barrier had to be combined with the traditional door sill to provide greater protection against water, air, and pests. The inventor noted that, generally all exterior door openings, or doorways, include a threshold, commonly referred to as a door threshold. Such door thresholds generally provide a transition between the exterior building structure and the flooring inside the respective door opening, and provide a means for preventing water and air from easily passing between the bottom of a door hung in the respective door opening and the respective flooring.
The inventor decided to install a barrier in the space that forms in the door sill, between the heel and toe portions. This fixed barrier that the inventor attached did well to prevent the water, air, and pests from entering through the threshold. However, when a wheeled vehicle needed to pass over the barrier, it was restricted from doing so and had to be lifted.
Through trial and error, the inventor learned that a spring could be combined with the barrier. The spring occupied a space that enabled the barrier to remain extended to block the passageway beneath the door, yet also enabled the barrier to compress into the door sill when a wheeled vehicle passed through. However, after noticing the wheeled vehicle could not always clear the barrier easily, the inventor made one of the edges tapered, so that the wheel could more easily roll over the barrier.
The inventor realized that the barrier could have more uses to work with variously sized door sills and thresholds if it was portable and height adjustable. The inventor added a bolt that detachably anchored the barrier into the floor. The bolt also adjusted the height of the barrier in the natural extended position.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a portable barrier for a door sill that fills a gap between the flooring and the bottom of a respective door to inhibit passage of water, air, and pests through the gap and onto the flooring inside the respective building.
Delivery systems and methods have been utilized in the past; yet none with the characteristics of the present invention. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,010,690; 6,484,446; and 8,966,823.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a portable barrier for a door sill that fills a gap between the flooring and the bottom of a respective door to inhibit passage of water, air, and pests through the gap and onto the flooring inside the respective building.